Order of the Shrouded Pillar
Based on Tirithond, the Sisters of the Shrouded Pillar are an Order Pronatus, tasked with finding, verifying, securing and repairing relics of the Ecclesiarchy. Founded in the early years of the Macharian Heresy, the Order has developed into a secretive organization, with all Sisters adopting fake names for their duties outside of the convent and wearing elaborate veils to obscure their identities. History Macharian Crusade The Sisters of the Shrouded Pillar were originally a contingent of the Order of the Sacred Vessel, which had been tasked with gathering, verifying and safeguarding the countless alleged 'relics' that appeared shortly after the death of Lord Solar Macharius. Many of these were nothing but frauds, ill-made and able to fool only those willing to believe, but among them, a handful of objects were genuinely touched by the power of the Emperor's chosen. With the dawn of the Macharian Heresy in 400.M41, the Order spread out over the many worlds, systems and sectors to be reconquered and as the communication between the single Commanderies and Missions became difficult to maintain, many of these detachments were reformed into smaller Orders of their own. Macharian Heresy The Order of the Shrouded Pillar was formed in 415.M41 from those Sisters dispatched towards the Eressa Sector, many of them in turn veterans of the Order of the White Rose who had been transferred for a variety of reasons. Formerly a Sister Palatine, Rienelle Dyo was proclaimed Canoness and would shape the Order into its current image. The name was derived from the most sacred artifact the Sisters had been able to secure, a pillar of blue marble that would bring unimaginable pain to anyone but the most faithful and subsequently had to be obscured. Under the command of Canoness Rienelle, the Sisters of the Shrouded Pillar were responsible for recovering several important relics during the Heresy, such as the Gilded Shell of Sennach, the Left Hand of Immoriel Gharne and the Staff of Galene. However, as the Heresy continued and the flames of war consumed ever more of Eressa, the Sisters had to abandon or indefinitely hide other artifacts as well, lest they would fall into the hands traitors, rebels and heretics. The tradition of wearing veils began around 441.M41, after the Sisters had begun to retreat from active battles and instead focused on the protection of the Ecclesiarchy's sacred vaults. For the following years, they were content to shield the many relics from the fires of war and their number dwindled until only a mere dozen Sisters inhabited the Convent on Tirithond. This changed with the end of the Heresy, as many Battle Sisters that had fought in the war were transferred to the Veiled Pillar, an event which coincided with a renewed interest of the Ecclesiarchy to strengthen faith among the sector's populace. By the end of the 470s, their ranks had swollen again to over 400 Sisters, a development that is said to have brought a smile to Canoness Rienelle's lips before she eventually succumbed to her age 2 years later. Her title was inherited by Sister Aspiah Lamb, who continued to solidify the Orders importance and influence in the Sector Synod, severing old ties to let the Order remain unaffected by the inner machinations of the Ministorum. The Order resisted attempts to be brought into one of the sub-factions and sects in the following decades, as well as the efforts of certain layers of society to bribe or force their way into their vaults. Structure & Organization The Order usually consists of between 250 and 300 Sisters, of which one third permanently resides in the Convent on Tirithond. Others are either attached to missionary fleets, follow invitations of planetary governors or cardinals, or investigate rumors and claims about holy artifacts. The Order is overseen by a Canoness, who in turn depends on several Palatines and Sister Superiors. However, their duties are mostly of administrative nature, as the Order's duty rarely require them to enter battles. In the case it should happen nevertheless, a Sister will usually call upon the aid of the Arbites, PDF or, with the help of a formal request made by the Ecclesiarchy, even a Militarum regiment. Despite that, one should not assume that a Sister of the Order is defenseless, as many were formerly attached to an Order Militant and everyone has completed combat training comparable to that of the Imperial Guard. Culture First and foremost scholars, each Sister will have spent countless hours in the convent's library and vaults to study not only the history of the sector but also a variety of methods to verify the validity of a relic presented to her. Many can read, write and speak High Gothic fluently and know methods to separate between a truly blessed artifact, mere forgeries and vile xeno sorcery. As such, they stand far above the common imperial citizen, a fact not all of them make an effort to hide. However, their superior knowledge is without doubt and any insulted feelings are surely caused by one's own insecurities. In public, a Sister will always conceal her face behind a veil, occasionally complimented by a broad-trimmed hat. Obscuring their faces is as much a way of hiding their identity as it as a form of subtle intimidation towards their foes. In the same manner, a Sister will give up her name once she fully enters the ranks of the Order and adapt a new one for the times she has to leave the convent. The Canoness is the only one privy to a Sister's original name and responsible for re-baptizing Sisters, a practice enacted not only on novitiates, but also on full Sisters transferring into the Order. As the guardians of valuable treasures and relics, the Order of the Veiled Pillar is, rightfully, distrustful of outsiders. The majority of their Convent is off limits for any visitor and those who tread into forbidden corridors by accident, or claim so at least, are usually apprehended and added to the Sisters' corps of servitors. As a rite of initiation, all Sisters must face the unobscured Pillar deep within the convent as a test of faith. Those who show even the slightest sign of pain are expelled from the ranks of the Order, their minds wiped of the secrets they have learned up to that point and often choose to take on the life of a Sister Repentia. However, such incidents are few and far in the Order's history. Notable Members *Canoness Rienelle Dyo - The first Canoness to be nominally appointed to the Order, Dyo was a former Sister of Battle of the White Rose. An injury in combat made it necessary to replace both her lower arms with bionic replacements. Despite her own desires, she was transferred to the newly formed Order Pronatus. Her militant background greatly influenced the early days of the Order, as she enforced strict obedience and absolute loyalty to the cause. In her later years, she would retreat to Tirithond and focus on raising the next generation. Rienelle Dyo would be the first Sister interred in the convent's cemetery, which would be named 'Dyo's Garden' in her honor. *Canoness Aspiah Lamb - A pupil of Canoness Dyo and eventually her aide until death, Aspiah tempered her teacher's militant legacy and forged it into a stalwart sense of duty. Originally a novitiate of an Order Dialogous, she requested to join the Order of the Shrouded Pillar even before becoming a full Sister, though her motives for doing so are unclear. Regardless, Canoness Lamb would eventually produce the Liber Reliquius Eressa, a tome recording all relics of faith within the Eressa Sector, whether they are in possession of the Ecclesiarchy or not. Now containing several volumes, it is the goal of the Order to gather and verify all the listed artifacts. *Canoness Kessita Paale - With only 24 years of age, Kessita Paale succeeded Canoness Garamond in 665.M41 after the latter succumbed to a tumor. Though young, Paale enjoys a great deal of trust from her Sisters for her reputation as untiring in her duties. Add Your Own Notable Relics *'The Shrouded Pillar' - Recovered from a world in the dreaded southern Ursus Nebula, the exact circumstances of its recovery are known to none bar the higher echelons of the Order itself as well as the eressian Ministorum. It is described as a roughly 5 meters tall pillar of blue marble, its surface worked with depictions of the Emperor, the Primarchs and various Saints. Anyone laying their eyes upon the pillar without a deep and uncompromising faith in the Emperor are said to experience excruciating pain and on occasion, the holy Inquisition has been known to make use of it as a means of interrogation. It is currently kept in the convent on Tirithond. *'The Gilded Shell of Sennach' - As the records go, General Ishmael Cev had to fire but a single shot to convince the clans of Sennach of the Emperor's might. Consequently, the incident was engraved upon the shell of that projectile and became an object of worship and inspiration for many, traveling across the planet for generations to spread the myth. While the Sisters were not able to prove any blessing of the Emperor, the Shell's reputation has not suffered. *'The Left Hand of Immoriel Gharne' - Somewhat an object of dispute amongst the Sisters, as Gharne was a Psyker. In 430.M41, Gharne was part of a force put together to capture Stahlrose from its rebellious occupants and while they were eventually defeated, Gharne is recorded to be the last survivor, having killed over 200 traitors himself. All that could be recovered was his left hand. *'The Staff of Temon Galene' - Galene was once a simple preacher from Stahlrose, but would become a key figure of the Eressa Schism and mainly responsible for resolving it. His staff had been interred with him in the Cathedral of the Guiding Hand until it was stolen in 410.M41, only to be retrieved in 469.M41 by a small strike force of the Sisters and the Tirithond Titans from the holds of the Drukhari pirate Yrren Hane. *'Liber Reliquius Eressa' - Originally incepted by Canoness Aspiah Lamb as a means to gather and centralize all records regarding relics and artifacts within the sector, it has since become a heirloom of the Order and grown into several volumes. Every year, the Sisters cross out those artifacts they have gathered or proven as false and add new relics to the list, a duty for future generations. Add Your Own Notes Category:Adepta Sororitas Category:Adeptus Ministorum